Can Environmental Justice Create Eco-Injustice?
by Joel on August 4th, 2009
Like the differing reactions to the recent arrest of Henry Louis Gates, environmental justice has always presented a challenge for the environmental community because of its potential to divide activists along racial lines. Thus, it was with some trepidation that I accepted an invitation to speak at a recent event on the topic.
The discussion, sponsored by the Justice in Journalism program in affiliation with the prestigious Annenberg School at USC, brings journalists who are undertaking in-depth explorations of race and poverty at a local level together from all over the country.
The focus of my session was the future directions of environmental justice. The discussion centered on what could be a fundamental shift in eco-justice. In the past, eco-justice largely examined the adverse environmental consequences to the poor and to minorities caused by economic patterns and activities. A paradigmatic example is the respiratory problems and elevated cancer rates experienced in minority communities that live adjacent to large industrial plants or transportation hubs.
Going forward, I believe environmental justice will center on the adverse economic consequences that environmental policies create for the poor and for minorities. While these policies are undoubtedly necessary for a number of reasons, including confronting global climate change and limiting respiratory ailments, many of these policies are likely to hit poor communities hard economically.
Indeed, one of the journalists at the event described just such an instance. In this case, he was researching the implications that the new environmental rules instituted by the Long Beach ports, which ban entry to older trucks, had on Latino truckers. For these independent and, sometimes cash-strapped, truckers, the rules present a significant economic challenge–either spend the capital required to upgrade to newer trucks or lose business at the port. The financial burden these rules pose on Latino truckers’ livelihood is another “toll” on an already vulnerable segment of the population.
I believe changes in environmental regulations should be arrived at without any additional expense and hardship to underserved communities. By staying focused on the triple bottom line, organizations, agencies and individuals can work together to ensure that sustainability and economic development are integrated and create benefits for all. It may take more than a “beer summit” to close the potential divide, but engaging in dialogue is an important first-step towards ensuring long-term environmental and economic justice.
Tags: community development, environmental justice, green banking, ShoreBank, triple bottom line
